Adjustable Suspension
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From: South Carolina
2020 MB E450 Estate, 2019 Kia Niro Touring
Adjustable Suspension
Is the optional air suspension (Air Body Control) the only suspension that changes when selecting driving mode (Eco/Comfort/Sport/Sport+)? Does the Lowered Suspension with Selective Damping System adjust the shocks to accommodate cruising as well as sporty driving?
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From: The Netherlands
W213
No not by selecting driving modes, it's a passive system.
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From: Sweden
2019 E200 sedan
Air body control and in some markets dynamic control with adjustable shocks. Most has the passive system which work fine, its not really a sporty car and the passive system is more comfort oriented but can handle corners well enough
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From: South Carolina
2020 MB E450 Estate, 2019 Kia Niro Touring
What about ride height? I've seen videos that say the Lowered suspension with selective damping system lowers the car 50 mm (2")!, which sounds excessive. I know the air suspension lowers at high speeds, and raises at low, but don't know how much it moves, if it's controllable or if it's high or low when stopped. Any info on this?
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From: Sweden
2019 E200 sedan
Lowered suspension is 15mm only. From what I have seen on the forum the ABC can raise the car nearly and inch only, and probably lower the car not much more. Air body control gives you more driver control as it can be stiffened up in sport+ and made softer in comfort. Supposed to be best of both worlds, some swear by and some dont care for it. If you plan on keeping the car for long take in mind the expense of maintaining the air suspension.
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2020 MB E450 Estate, 2019 Kia Niro Touring
Lowered suspension is 15mm only. From what I have seen on the forum the ABC can raise the car nearly and inch only, and probably lower the car not much more. Air body control gives you more driver control as it can be stiffened up in sport+ and made softer in comfort. Supposed to be best of both worlds, some swear by and some dont care for it. If you plan on keeping the car for long take in mind the expense of maintaining the air suspension.
As I understand the operation from the manual (downloaded to "study up")), you can choose to Raise the car using the dash button (didn't know how much, apparently the 1" you are referring to). When driving the car in the Raised position, it will automatically lower to the Normal position when you drive faster than 50 mph (or over 35 mph for 3 minutes). In Comfort mode only, it stays high until speed exceeds 78 mph, at which point it lowers. Then stays there until speed drops below 50 mph, at which point it raises again. What I don't know is if, when speed drops below 35 mph or so, if the car raises back up to the Raised position, or if it just turns off the feature. Perhaps someone can tell me.
Ideally, to me, it would stay high at low speeds and when parking, to help protect doors from harm, then lower at higher speeds, then lower again at low speeds.
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From: The Netherlands
W213
The standard height in comfort mode is level 0. The car will lower itself to level -1 when exceding 78 mph and will rise again to level 0 when speed drops below 50 mph.
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From: South Carolina
2020 MB E450 Estate, 2019 Kia Niro Touring
The standard height in comfort mode is level 0. The car will lower itself to level -1 when exceding 78 mph and will rise again to level 0 when speed drops below 50 mph.
Sorry for the over-analysis; just trying to determine, height-wise, what advantages there may be with the ABC.
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From: The Netherlands
W213
Yes I think so, but I'm not 100% sure of this.
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Out of warranty replacement of an air strut will cost several thousand dollars. Thirteen years ago I had to replace a strut on a W211. It cost over $2,500 not counting towing. That's about $3,200 today when adjusted for inflation.
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From: Sweden
2019 E200 sedan
I thought air was free? Not so in the ABC? Are you referring to repair after warranty, or is there extensive maintenance expense?
As I understand the operation from the manual (downloaded to "study up")), you can choose to Raise the car using the dash button (didn't know how much, apparently the 1" you are referring to). When driving the car in the Raised position, it will automatically lower to the Normal position when you drive faster than 50 mph (or over 35 mph for 3 minutes). In Comfort mode only, it stays high until speed exceeds 78 mph, at which point it lowers. Then stays there until speed drops below 50 mph, at which point it raises again. What I don't know is if, when speed drops below 35 mph or so, if the car raises back up to the Raised position, or if it just turns off the feature. Perhaps someone can tell me.
Ideally, to me, it would stay high at low speeds and when parking, to help protect doors from harm, then lower at higher speeds, then lower again at low speeds.
As I understand the operation from the manual (downloaded to "study up")), you can choose to Raise the car using the dash button (didn't know how much, apparently the 1" you are referring to). When driving the car in the Raised position, it will automatically lower to the Normal position when you drive faster than 50 mph (or over 35 mph for 3 minutes). In Comfort mode only, it stays high until speed exceeds 78 mph, at which point it lowers. Then stays there until speed drops below 50 mph, at which point it raises again. What I don't know is if, when speed drops below 35 mph or so, if the car raises back up to the Raised position, or if it just turns off the feature. Perhaps someone can tell me.
Ideally, to me, it would stay high at low speeds and when parking, to help protect doors from harm, then lower at higher speeds, then lower again at low speeds.
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2020 MB E450 Estate, 2019 Kia Niro Touring
The struts themselves costs alot to replace when they fail and the numerous sensors and mechanical components driving the compressors might also fail. This work cant be done at home as very expensive diagnosis software is needed thus making it very expensive in the future. If you are going to own it during warranty you dont have to worry.
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From: A Dutchy Living in Marseille, France
EQE SUV AMG-line 350+
air body control sucks.
i really can't tell the différence between E/C and S/S+
whatever i choose, i feel every little bump in the road.
the only thing i know truly works is when i raise the car, which is sort of handy in underground parkings.
i really can't tell the différence between E/C and S/S+
whatever i choose, i feel every little bump in the road.
the only thing i know truly works is when i raise the car, which is sort of handy in underground parkings.
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Thanks mercedes.fan and ua549 on the costs involved. I intend to get a 7 year warranty, but my intention is to keep the car forever (I'm 76 and I figure my forever is about 10 years). I'll only be putting about 8000 miles a year on it, maybe less in the future, but I imagine a lot of this stuff will fail based on time rather than mileage (rubber deterioration, etc.). Sounds like it might not be worth the (ultimate) cost.
I bought an AMG W211 thinking it would be my "forever car". It turned out to be a maintenance nightmare that lasted a couple of weeks beyond the warranty. Extended warranties don't cover the stuff that typically breaks such as plastic pieces, seat leather, ... I drive my MB less than 5k miles per year.
Last edited by ua549; Jul 23, 2019 at 06:58 PM.
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2021 M550i
i have driven the luxury and sport back to back and didnt notice much difference. Too be honest when changing the mode to sport + i hardly even feel the difference. I doubt anybody would if someone changed it without telling you!
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2019 E200 sedan
Well sport+ onle changes throttle response not suspension as its passive. But the luxury trim has more ground clearance (suspension travel), "comfort oriented chassis" and smaller rims with more tyre sidewall so it should ride more comfortably, even if only slightly.
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2020 MB E450 Estate, 2019 Kia Niro Touring
I wouldn't mind the raised ride and comfort suspension of the Luxury, but I really prefer the Sport/AMG grill and body, and the MB star sticking out of the hood just begs for someone to rip it off. But I'm very happy with the 4 model MBs I've driven so far to help me choose my new car.
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Well sport+ onle changes throttle response not suspension as its passive. But the luxury trim has more ground clearance (suspension travel), "comfort oriented chassis" and smaller rims with more tyre sidewall so it should ride more comfortably, even if only slightly.
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2020 MB E450 Estate, 2019 Kia Niro Touring
Depending on the drive program, the following
systems change their characteristics:
- Drive
- Engine and transmission management
- Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC
- ESP®
- Vehicles with AIR BODY CONTROL or DYNAMIC BODY CONTROL: suspension
- Electric power steering
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From: The Netherlands
W213
what is Dynamic Body Control? It is my understanding that neither Luxury suspension with selective damping or Lowered suspension with selective damping system are adjustable manually (although they do adjust damping based on driving style), but don't see Dynamic Body Control listed anywhere.
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From: Sweden
2019 E200 sedan
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2021 M550i
So your saying the system allows me to change to 4 different suspension settings, but it is absolutely doing nothing? This is very interesting.... according to my owner's manual it should be making the drive more sportier lol. Is this not accurate?
